6 Ultraproduct Structures

Definition 6.1. Let Mj=(Mj,Ij) be L-structures for each jJ. Let U be an ultraproduct on J. Define an interpretation IU of L on jJMjU. Let SL.

  • If S is an n-ary relation:

    IU(S)=[(Ij(S))jJ](jJMjU)n.

  • If S is a constant:

    IU(S)=[(Ij(S))jJ]jJMU.

  • Functions are a bit less clear. However, we can always turn a function into a relation by looking at its graph (i.e. f:MnM has graph Rf={(x¯,y)Mn+1:f(x¯)=y}).

    So if S is a function: for each jJ, define the graph of Ij(S) as

    Gj(S)={(a1,,an,b)Mjn+1:Ij(S)(a1,,an)=b}.

    Then [(Gj(S))jJ] is the graph of a function

    (jJMjU)njJMjU.

    (Checking this is left as an exercise). Now define IU(S) to be the function corresponding to [(Gj(S))jJ].

Example 6.2. L={+,R} (where + is a function and R is a unary relation). Let Cn=(Cn,In) with Cn=n, with addition modulo n, and let In(R)={xCn:yCn,2y=x}.

Consider C=(n>0CnU,IU).

What does the set IU(R) look like?

If gcd(n,2)=1, then In(R)=Cn.

If gcd(n,2)=2, then In(R)Cn (for example, 1In(R)).

Options to think about:

Consider b=(1,1,1,)nCn.

Suppose (a), so for every KU we have iK even, i.e. biIR(C1), so IR(C)C. Note (a) is equivalent to (c).

By similar reasoning, (b) implies IR(C)=C (and also (b) is equivalent to (c)).